


an easy kind of happy

by wafflesofdoom



Series: your love was handmade for somebody like me [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Police, Established Relationship, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 17:25:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10518393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesofdoom/pseuds/wafflesofdoom
Summary: aaron's first day back at work after his and robert's honeymoon ends with a homecooked meal and a whole lot of happiness.filler scene written as part of the police au verse! set after my love is handmade for somebody like you.





	

Aaron glanced at the shiny ring on his finger, still not quite used to the band on his left hand. He and Robert had decided not to bother with engagement rings, in the end - they’d planned the wedding for a few months after their engagement, an early September wedding in Emmerdale that had been one of the best days of his entire life.

How sappy was that? He’d never thought he’d be the sort of person who’d refer to his wedding day as the best day of his life, but it had been. Aaron had loved every second of it, from the slap up breakfast he’d had that morning with his mum, and Liv, and the chat he’d had with Jason and Paddy, his two father figures aiming to outdo his mum in terms of overbearing excitement.

And then Robert there was Robert. Robert, who’d agreed to have their wedding in Emmerdale, regardless of his history with the village, determined to give the place new memories, he’d said. 

Aaron would never forget the moment he saw Robert, standing at the makeshift altar in the barn, wearing a bright blue suit and looking like he’d stepped off a bloody catwalk, a smile about a hundred miles wide on his face. 

God, he loved Robert. 

Robert, his _husband,_ his utterly brilliant, gorgeous, snarky husband. He’d fallen more and more in love with Robert every day since Aaron had proposed, over pancakes one morning, entirely sleep deprived and madly in love. 

Aaron wasn’t sure how he’d ever lived without Robert by his side before. The detective was his biggest support, and the minute Aaron had questioned whether he was happy in Leeds, being so far from Liv, Robert had suggested they move to York, no arguments necessary.

And he made Aaron laugh, more than anyone else in his life. 

Unable to wipe the grin from his face, Aaron shrugged on his stab vest, slamming his locker door shut, heading out into the station hallway. It had felt like a lot longer than three weeks since he’d last been in work, the station feeling oddly unfamiliar to him.

Three weeks.

Three of the best weeks of his life, really. They’d gone all out for their honeymoon, flying first to New York, and then on to California and Las Vegas. Robert had been trying to convince him to go to Costa Rica, but America had been a happy compromise - Aaron had never been, and it had been big, and exciting, and all about _them_.

“Aaron Dingle, you’re so loved up looking, its honestly sickening,” Rose smirked at him, leaning against the kitchen counter, a coffee in hand. “Need I ask how the honeymoon went?”

“It was alright,” Aaron joked, not caring that his face was aching from the permanent smile that seemed to be on his face these days. 

“Come on, put me out of my misery and show me some pictures.” Rose passed him a mug, watching as Aaron quickly made himself a cup of coffee. 

Taking a sip of the boiling liquid, Aaron fished in his pocket for his mobile, taking a second to admire his lockscreen. It was of him and Robert, just after they’d done a dune buggy tour in the desert in Las Vegas.

They were sweaty and sunned up, and so ridiculously in love it was almost embarrassing, Robert’s arm tight around his shoulders. Searching through his albums, Aaron found the one of pictures he’d deemed safe enough to show his mum.

It wasn’t his fault Robert looked really good naked. 

“I’ve been so jealous, looking at all the photos your Robert has been putting on Facebook,” Rose sighed, flicking through the pictures, cooing over the dorky selfies they’d taken at every landmark. 

“It was amazing,” Aaron confirmed, relishing in the warmth of his mug of coffee. His body hadn’t quite adjusted back to the damp Yorkshire October, not after nearly two weeks split between California and Las Vegas.

“How does it feel to be back at work then?” Rose nudged, handing him back his phone.

“Depressing,” he admitted, draining his coffee. 

“Well, you can cheer up, because we’re on patrol together today.” Rose set her mug down in the sink, tucking her hair behind her ears. “It’ll be a quiet day, we’ll ease you back into it.”

Aaron smiled, a real, genuine smile. He was happy, completely and utterly happy. “I’ll hold you to that, Ro.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His first day back passed in a blur, if Aaron was honest. He’d had a few snarky comments from his unit over the radio, playing along with the banter with an easy grin and a light heart.

This was good.

Aaron could get used to being happy, if he was honest. Of course he’d been happy, this past year with Robert, but things hadn’t exactly been easy - they worked opposite units, and they were rarely off on the same day, and it had put a strain on their relationship at times, but since the wedding? It had been plain sailing. 

Apparently the honeymoon period _was_ real.

Aaron had his hands stuffed in the front of his stab vest as he walked down the hallway of the station, lost in thought. 

“Aaron!”

Aaron couldn’t help but smile as he came face to face with Jason, his boss giving him an enthusiastic wave. “Hiya,” he greeted, accepting the tight hug his former step-dad gave him.

“How was the first shift back? Always the hardest one,” Jason nudged, holding a file close to his chest. 

“It was alright, actually.” Aaron nodded, rocking on his heels slightly. “Went a lot faster than I thought it would.”

“You’re not missing hubby too much then?” Jason teased. 

Aaron rolled his eyes. “We’re not attached at the hip,” he snorted, pretending as though he hadn’t spent a lot of the quiet moments of the day missing Robert, but in his own defence, they’d spent nearly every single day of the past month together. 

“You could have fooled me.” Jason laughed. “Your mum was showing me some of the pictures, America looked brilliant.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t realise you and my mum were such great mates again.”

It was Jason’s turn to roll his eyes, shoving at Aaron. “You’re a proper menace, you.” 

“You love me.” Aaron grinned, enjoying the way Jason’s face lit up slightly at his words. Aaron wasn’t the best at this sort of thing, and he knew what it meant when he did say some sort of I love you. “You just starting?”

“Busy night ahead,” he sighed. “Enjoy your night.”

Aaron nodded, giving Jason a smile before he continued on his walk down the hallway, and into the locker room. He’d knocked off a bit earlier than the rest of his unit, hoping to sneak away before he caught the brunt of the messing he’d missed for the day, out in the car with Rose.

Opening his locker, Aaron raised an eyebrow at the thong hanging on one of his coat hooks, looking over his shoulder to see a grinning Detective Hopley behind him. “I could nearly call that offensive,” he joked, flicking the underwear at her head. “Get the big wigs involved.”

“You could, but I am the only other gay one on our unit, you’d hate to see me go,” Sara smirked. “How’s married life?”

“Great.” Aaron nodded.

“Glad to see Sugden’s really made you a talker,” Sara rolled her eyes, leaning up against one of the lockers.

“Nah, it’s great, it really is.” Aaron nodded. “I uh, I meant to say it to you, at the wedding - but thanks, for everything. Having you makes it all a bit easier, y’know?”

Sara smiled, a real, genuine smile. “Us gay cops have to stick together, don't we?” 

“Yeah."

“Stop being such a sap,” Sara grinned, giving him a slap on the back. “Go on, get home to your husband before the masses descend. I overheard Smith and Riley talking about dragging you out for pints.”

Aaron grimaced, shrugging off his uniform, pulling on the jumper of Robert’s he’d stolen that morning, the material soft against his skin. “Thanks, I owe you one.”

“You owe me a lot, Dingle. Or is it Sugden, now?”

“I’ll be a Dingle until I die,” Aaron joked, shoving his feet into his trainers, grabbing his backpack. He loved the lads on his unit, he really did - but he wanted to see Robert, and pints organised by unit B would end in all of them hammered drunk in the middle of town at three in the morning. 

It was dark, as he left the station, but the drive home was quick. He’d spent rush hour on the motorway in the police car, so his ten minute drive was just that, ten minutes. After ten hours of work, well, he was glad for the short drive.

He was just getting used to living in the new flat with Robert. They’d only moved back to York in August, and the flat didn’t quite feel like home just yet - not in the way Robert’s flat in Leeds had felt, the way Aaron’s heart would swell with happiness as he stepped out of the lift and came face to face with Robert’s pristine front door. 

Still, it was theirs, and Aaron was sure it would feel different soon, and it’d stop feeling like an ikea showroom. Robert’s deep, intense hatred for the flatpack furniture they’d bought for the new flat did make him laugh though. 

It had caused a ridiculous amount of arguments between the two of them, Robert brandishing catalogues from expensive furniture shops at him, Aaron refusing to back down. 

They’d decided to start saving for a mortgage, after all. 

“Robert?” Aaron called, pushing the door shut behind him. The flat smelled delicious, and Aaron’s stomach rumbled, making him realise quite how hungry he was. 

“Hiya! In the kitchen,” Robert called, sticking his head in the doorway. “I’ve got the beers cracked open already.”

“I love you,” Aaron breathed happily, dumping his shoes and backpack in the hallway, padding across the wooden floor in his socks. Robert was standing at the cooker, dressed in a pair of jeans and a thin jumper, his focus on whatever was in the pan in his hand.

Aaron loved watching Robert cook. His husband got lost in the process, humming to himself as he cooked, a tea towel slung over his shoulder. 

He couldn’t help himself, moving to wrap his arms around Robert’s waist, nuzzling his face into the soft material of his jumper, pressed close against his husband’s back. “Smells good,” he mumbled, marvelling at the way his heart still skipped a beat when Robert wrapped a hand around one of his, giving his a tight squeeze.

“I’ve made your favourite, tikka masala.” Robert gestured at the pan. “I’ve got naan bread in the oven too, because I’m the best.”

Aaron pressed a kiss to Robert’s shoulder blade. “Love you.”

“You alright?” Robert twisted in Aaron’s arms, so he was facing him properly. There was a look of concern on Robert’s face that made Aaron feel as though he could melt, knowing there was someone in his life that loved him so much they could read him by a single facial expression. ‘Bad day?”

Aaron nodded. “I had a good day, actually.” 

“Not too hard being back then?”

Aaron shrugged, tightening his grip on Robert’s waist. “I missed you,” he admitted, flushing slightly at his own admission.

“I missed you too,” Robert smiled, brushing a thumb across Aaron’s cheek, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to his lips. Aaron melted into his touch, feeling an odd sense of relief as he got to kiss his husband after too long apart. 

“We’ve gone soppy.”

“Ssh, don’t tell anyone.” Robert joked, kissing each of his cheeks in turn, Aaron rolling his eyes at the action. 

“Whats all this for, anyway?” 

“Can’t I just want to treat my husband?” he shrugged, a twinkle in his eye suggesting completely otherwise.

“Go on, what anniversary have I forgotten now?” Aaron sighed, not moving out of Robert’s embrace. Robert seemed to have a knack for remembering all the tiny, seemingly insignificant dates and anniversaries in their relationship, and now they’d been together a year, Aaron was sure Robert would have a million more to use as excuses for weekends away and fancy dinner dates. 

“It is a year since our first date,” Robert said, gesturing at the calendar. “October 13th.”

“How do you remember this sort of stuff?” 

“It’s a gift,” Robert grinned. “And, we’ve been married a month, officially.”

“We got married September 10th, Rob.” Aaron declared triumphantly, happy to have one up on his husband, anniversary wise at least.

“Marriage licence wasn’t done until the 13th though, so I’m right.” Robert pressed a kiss to the corner of Aaron’s mouth. “Been together a year, you and me.”

“It was ages before we had the boyfriend conversation.”

“Oi, cheeky, shut up and give us a proper snog and let me celebrate.” 

Aaron couldn’t help but laugh as Robert attached his lips to his in a sloppy kiss, feeling his husband’s smile against his own. This, Aaron decided, was the best kind of happiness he’d ever felt in his life.

It felt so easy, being with Robert, being married to Robert. 

A month in, and there was no doubt in Aaron’s mind that they would be happy for the rest of their lives, one way or another. 

Robert broke their kiss first, pressing his forehead to Aaron’s. “Go on, sit down, you must be starving.”

“I am.” Aaron admitted, letting Robert manoeuvre him into one of their kitchen chairs, his focus returning to the simmering curry on the hob, passing Aaron a beer before he plated up their food.

“Tell me about your day then.”

“Huh?” Aaron paused, his beer bottle halfway to his mouth. 

Robert rolled his eyes. “Tell me about your day, you idiot.”

Aaron grinned, completely unable to stop himself. This was his life now, wasn’t it? Married, telling Robert all about his day, feeling as though the rest of his life was an adventure, not a challenge to overcome.

Not anymore, at least. 

“Hopley put a thong in my locker, cheeky mare.”

 

 

** fin **

**Author's Note:**

> i've missed this 'verse, if i'm honest, so i talked myself into writing a bit of a filler scene, set after my love is handmade for somebody like you. i'm in the process of writing a proper sequel for this, but it'll be a few more weeks in the making, and i wanted to indulge myself!
> 
> i hope you enjoyed!
> 
> i'm robertsuggles on tumblr if you fancy a chat :)


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